Digital design and BIM

Ramboll is at the forefront of digital design, offering the most advanced expertise in Building Information Modelling (BIM). Digital design and modelling ensures that clients and users get the building results they want. Digital 3D models improve collaboration between project parties, to ensure that the project is well-coordinated before the construction phase begins.

Frederick Roaldsøy Heidahl

Max Levander

Head of BIM, Finland

T: (+358) 50 5013 875

Contact Max Levander

Ruth Norman-Johnson

Associate and digital design specialist

T: +44 7767 111 434

Contact Ruth Norman-Johnson

Digital design is a broad term that embraces all stages of a building’s life cycle. 3D modelling or BIM makes it possible to improve coordination between disciplines. The result is a project where solutions are optimised and easy to construct.

Mitigating costs and risks

Part of our approach focuses on managing and sharing information effectively between the project design team, contractors and future users to reduce time, cost and risk in all phases of the project.

BIM is a central part of our digital design service and designates the use of a single, integrated 3D model throughout the design and construction life cycle of a project. This allows clients, designers and project stakeholders to experience the building early in the design process.

BIM is also useful for clash detection, which enables us to resolve design issues before construction commences. 3D models allow for clash detection in all phases linking the architectural, structural and building services.

Each discipline has its own 3D models to work with. These models can be combined into an aggregated 3D model. The aggregated model forms a strong basis for communication and decision-making throughout the project lifecycle. We thereby minimise the risk of costly design revisions during the construction phase.

Green BIM

Green BIM has been pioneered by Ramboll to incorporate the sustainability dimension into classic building information modelling. Green BIM provides a structured methodology for evaluating sustainability criteria on a continuous basis throughout a project. It facilitates improved interdisciplinary collaboration and thereby ensures that solutions are fully optimised and client’s sustainability ambitions are realised. In addition, Green BIM provides clients with a documented and certified level of sustainability whilst also helping to achieve cost savings.

Sustainable, buildable and economical designs

Using advanced analytical tools such as FEM, Nucleus, Robot etc., we can provide more efficient solutions than would have been possible using traditional engineering techniques. Digital design makes it possible to assess, iterate and optimise building configuration and characteristics before construction – resulting in inspiring structures that are more sustainable, buildable and economical.

It is essential that the 3D tools can exchange data seamlessly to ensure efficient interdisciplinary collaboration. Efficient collaboration is the backbone in a digital design process, and for this reason Ramboll fully supports the open building.

Breaking new ground in digital design

We are pushing the boundaries of digital design and conduct research and development in the following emerging areas:

4D (time schedule and 3D model) modelling

5D (Cost + 3D model)

6D (Operation & Maintenance + 3D model)

7D (Sustainability + 3D model)

Linking virtual models with real buildings (Digital Twin)

SMART Buildings concepts

VR/AR models

Parametric design / Computational Design

Interoperation of 3D and parametric models with other disciplines (including cost management, building physics and infrastructure).

In March 2014, and following a 12 month intensive international design competition, the Architectural consortium of Herzog & de Meuron/Vilhelm Lauritzen Arkitekter was awarded the contract to design the New North Zealand Hospital in Hillerød, Denmark, with Ramboll named as the engineering services consultant for the project.

Ramboll is part of the winning consortium to design and lead the construction of the largest hospital project in Northern Europe, The New University hospital in Aarhus. The project will stretch over the next 10-15 years, with the hospital site ending up the size of a provincial town - about 500,000 m2.

Harpa Concert and Conference Center has been hailed as a symbol of Iceland’s economic dynamism and has since it opened in 2011 hosted a range of world-class congresses and concerts. The concert and conference center is part of a larger master plan for the area around Reykjavik’s harbour, intended to attract tourists and artists. But the building is more than merely beautiful; however, it is also CO2-neutral, obtaining its energy from Iceland’s geothermal resources.